When Derek met Hallie
by brokenhalo7
Summary: Hallie and Derek have become the best of friends. What will happen when one wants more and the other isn't sure? change of pace from a Dasey...please r&r!


-1"This won't be awful, this could be good. This could be amazing. It will be; it'll be absolutely amazing," 17 year old Hallie Conrad told herself before entering her first class on her first day of her twelfth school. She slowly opened the door to find the class silent and, because of the sudden noise of the door, all eyes were on her.

"Hi?" she said, confused.

"O Time, thou must untangle this, not I.

It is too hard a knot for me t'untie!" The teacher glared at her, waiting for some response.

"That's from Twelfth Night by Shakespeare," she said bluntly, as if everyone should know.

"Very good!" the teacher shouted. "The rest of you: read more. Take your seat Miss..."

"Hallie Conrad. I don't…"

"A new student…" The teacher thought for a moment. "Sit next to the boy you this is the cutest." The class was stirring, people whispering, wondering who she would choose. Hallie scanned the room for a few moments, looking the boys over; there were very few boys in the class. Of the 4 choices she had, there was a grotesque, scrawny little boy whose face was covered in acne. He was smiling at her, hoping to catch some positive attention. She managed to feign a smile for a moment then moved on. The next boy was obviously a jock, trying way too hard to look smooth, smiling at her, even winking. _Next_, she thought. She continued to walk amongst the desks, being very careful with her decision. Her third option was a quiet boy who kept his hands clasped and his eyes on his desk. Last but not least, the last remaining boy seemed to be the only option. He was asleep, and looked like he was enjoying it. She stopped at his desk and looked to the teacher, indicating she wanted to sit next to him.

"Maggie, get up. Go sit by David," the teacher instructed. Maggie, looking severely disappointed, picked up her things and moved to the seat next to the gross little boy near the front of the room. "Why Derek?"

"Because drool really turns me on," Hallie joked. The laughter of the class woke up the sleeping Derek, who looked strangely confused.

"Good morning, Mr. Venturi. Have a nice nap?"

"Pretty good, thanks. What's going on?"

"Hallie Conrad decided that your drool was charming, so she sat next to you." Derek wiped his mouth with his sleeve and put his head back down.

At her locker after class, a few girls came up to her and asked her the strangest questions.

"What's it like being so close to him? Is his drool really cute? What does he smell like?"

"Um…bye?" she said, closed her locker, and walked away. Right into Derek. "Sorry," she said politely and started to go on her way.

"Hold on, you're Hallie, right?"

"Right. And you're Derek." She kept walking, so he followed.

"What happened in class today?"

"Your weirdo English teacher told me to sit next to the cutest boy, so I sat next to you."

"No surprise there." Hallie rolled her eyes. "Why was he talking about drool?"

"He asked why I picked you and I said because you're drool was cute or something." She turned around suddenly, stopping him short. "Do you want something or are you just trying to bug me?"

"No, I…Listen, I don't do this often, but…"

"Are you gonna ask me to eat lunch with you? Because that would be thuper awethome!" she mocked and turned around to walk away.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, not meaning to say it as loud as he did.

"What's unbelievable?" she replied, turning once again to face him. "Not used to girls blowing you off? Newsflash, not every girl falls for the idiot jock thing. Get a new act." He stood in the hall for a few moments, watching her walk away. He had to get to know her.

At lunch that day, Derek searched for Hallie all over the cafeteria, and found that his worst nightmare had come true: she had become friends with Casey. "Great," he thought aloud. "Another reason for her to hate me." Nevertheless, he made his way over to the lunch table currently occupied by Casey, Emily, and Hallie.

"Hi, Derek!" Emily squealed. "Are you sitting here?" She hoped he would say yes.

"No." Emily's smile quickly turned to a frown. "Hallie, can I talk to you?" Hallie looked at Casey, who nodded slightly. Hallie stood up and followed Derek into the hallway. "Listen, before, I wasn't going to ask you out or anything."

"What do you want Derek?" she practically yelled.

"You!" He saw her confused look. "To help me…" he finished. "I need your help…with the English. I don't get Shakespeare at all." Hallie sighed.

"You're lucky I am the most generous person alive," she laughed. He smiled his famous Derek Venturi smile. All of a sudden, Hallie's knees went out from underneath her, sending her crashing towards the ground. Derek caught her just before she did, cradling her in his arms. "Nice reflexes," she said, looking up at him. She stood up and brushed herself off.

"Bad knees?" he asked.

"Yea. Well, they haven't acted up in a while. Old soccer injury. So. To the library?"

"To the library."

"So basically Twelfth Night is about a girl, Viola, who thinks her brother may have died in a boat accident that she survived. She's stranded in a foreign country, Illyria, and doesn't know anyone. Olivia, the countess or princess or something, is mourning the death of her brother and won't let anyone in to see her. So Viola pretends to be a boy to join the Duke's…team I guess…and…"

"You lost me at Viola," Derek stated plainly. Her bright blue eyes lit up.

"I have an idea. What are you doing tonight?"

"Are you gonna ask me out? 'Cause that would be thuper!" he said, mocking her. She punched him playfully in the arm.

"No, assbag, I'm trying to help you. Are you free tonight or not?" He nodded. "Okay," she started writing something on a napkin. "Come to my house at around 7. Pizza and a movie?"

"How is this gonna help me?"

"Do you trust me?" He thought, then nodded. "Then you'll be there." She left him with the napkin, which now contained directions to her house. He looked up and saw she was almost out of the library.

"Hey!" he called to her, she turned around. "Thanks."  
"No problem," she smiled, and went on her way.

That night, at just before 8, Derek was running around the house frantically searching for something.

"Derek, what are you doing?" Casey asked him.

"My shoes are gone!" He stopped in front of his step-sister. "Has Marti been taking shoes lately?"

"No, have you been wearing cologne lately?" He sniffed himself.

"Is it okay?"

"Trying to impress Hallie?" He rolled his eyes and walked away from her. He looked in the hall closet and found the shoes he was looking for.

"Tell my dad and Nora that I left, okay?" He was out the door before she could respond.

Hallie was sitting in her living room waiting for Derek to arrive when she finally heard a knock on her door. She jumped up and answered the door before either of her brothers could get there and harass Derek.

"Hi!" she said excitedly, moving out of his way so he could step inside.

"Hey. So, what exactly are we doing?"

"Pizza and a movie, I told you. I ordered from Papa John's, I hope you like--"

"Hawaiian Chicken Pizza?" Hallie nodded, shocked that he took the words out of her mouth. "I hope you got a lot of--"

"Garlic sauce." This was weird…They both shook it off and sat down on Hallie's living room couch. She hit play on her remote and started the movie.

"She's The Man? How is this random chick flick gonna help with Twelfth Night?"

"This movie is based on the play. Just watch, I'll explain as we go…"

The two watched the movie, laughed, and ate all night. Derek looked at his watch and saw that it was close to 11.

"I have to get going." They stood up and walked to the door together. Derek started out the door and said, "I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Alright." Hallie went in for a hug, and, Derek, misreading the invitation for a hug as one for a goodnight kiss, crushed his lips against hers. Shocked, Hallie pulled away.

"Sorry, I…" He didn't know what to say.

"Goodnight, Derek," Hallie said, closing the door and leaning her back against it, sighing. Derek, on the other side, put his forehead to the door in embarrassment before leaving.


End file.
